


let's take both of our souls and intertwine

by undeliveredtruth



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Adventure and Magic, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Dark Magic, Happy Ending, M/M, Soul Bond, fairy san, human seonghwa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:34:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27121876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/undeliveredtruth/pseuds/undeliveredtruth
Summary: Seonghwa is not the most common of humans. As a traveler who constantly moves between the two worlds, that of the humans and that of the supernatural, he is one of the few tasked with maintaining peace and equilibrium, in whatever ways he might have to fulfill his duty.But even more uncommon is the secret bond he shares with one of the fairies of the other world.And one day, that bond gets put to the test.
Relationships: Choi San/Park Seonghwa
Comments: 17
Kudos: 80
Collections: All Hallows ATEEZ Exchange





	let's take both of our souls and intertwine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alette](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alette/gifts).



Stepping into Nagwon has always been an experience for Seonghwa. A second of time that throws you off course, an imbalance in the atmosphere that you feel from your head down to the center of your chest. Taking that final step means relinquishing control, giving up ownership over your body and opening up to whatever might follow—good or bad.

Do it too often and you might find yourself entirely lost, unable to let go of the lands full of promise. (And deceit.)

Thankfully, Seonghwa is no ordinary human. Hundreds of times he has passed the border, the tattoo on his chest that burns—just a second—have gotten him used to the swirling atmosphere of the land. It’s noticeable, the change in the air, but at the same time, Seonghwa has felt it enough times to be able to keep a clear head.

Except… this day isn’t just any day. This night isn’t just any night, and this mission isn’t any mission.

This one is important.

Seonghwa breathes in just one breath, holds it in his lungs as he opens the door of the bookstore, and when he steps out, he finds himself on the other side. Like clockwork, the tattoo burns for one second.

The breath is Seonghwa’s ritual, the air in his lungs something he keeps as a reminder of the other side, before he exhales it and sees it get lost. Sees it bleed into the air.

Or something. It’s not like he can _see_ it, but he can surely imagine it.

Nagwon looks just like the land he came from. Usually. Tonight, however, an archway of flowers and magic lights softly change color from beige to purple to welcome him. Seonghwa’s color. Seonghwa is tempted to bow in a greeting, but their magic user seems to be nowhere near.

The other tattoo, the mountain on his wrist, is untouched.

Seonghwa steps through the archway, gently touching one of the flowers so they pass on the message. As far as his eyes can reach, flowers and lights bloom, lighting up the way as the sunset starts to fall to the ground.

Nagwon has always been incredibly beautiful, its streets and shops shrouded in a wistful atmosphere. Seonghwa almost wishes he could take a walk and really enjoy this beautiful place on the most beautiful day of the year. Maybe step into one of the shops, sit down for a drink and catch up with one of the grandmas and grandpas who he has missed and who surely have missed him...

When he touches the tattoo on his chest, the thought disintegrates into thin air. Seonghwa shakes his head. Even he gets affected on this night.

As he walks further, turning a left corner and then a right, the flowers and lights become rarer, bleeding into the almost-darkness. Visitors usually would not come this way, and stacked shop signs and the lights from the inside are the only things illuminating his way. Everywhere he looks, the shops are just about ready to open.

Five minutes, and darkness will fall. Seonghwa takes another left, another right, another left, and walks ten more steps to his destination.

The bell rings as he pushes open the heavy door, except he knows there’s no bell up there.

“Seonghwa, we were expecting you,” a voice rings out from the back, and Seonghwa nods his head to the black and beige cats lounging on the windowsill, above one of the tables.

“Wooyoung, Yeosang. Would you do me a favor and change back?” He turns around to give them privacy, facing them after Wooyoung coughs to signal they’re ready.

Wooyoung narrows his eyes, looking him up and down. And then, a second later, brightens up and throws himself at Seonghwa. Seonghwa catches him in his arms as Wooyoung lets his weight lean on him. “You didn’t drink anything.”

Seonghwa looks past him, sneaking Yeosang a glance. He still doesn’t seem to like Seonghwa, but he guesses that’s fair. What reason would he have to?

“You know I can’t, Wooyoung-ah,” he ruffles Wooyoung’s hair.

“Not even one with me?” he pouts, pulling his head back to throw his most convincing, wounded look to Seonghwa. His tattoo burns on his chest, but Wooyoung is just a shapeshifter, so his powers aren’t enough to quite move anyone, and especially not Seonghwa.

“Not even. I’m on a mission.”

“Tonight too? Tonight is fun night! They’re so boring.”

“Tonight too. I have to—”

“Don’t say too much,” a voice interrupts him. “He’ll want to come with you.”

Seonghwa turns his head. “Hongjoong.”

“I guess you need something, if you came this way?” Hongjoong’s hair is bright blue this time. He puts down the tray with his glasses, starting to arrange them behind the bar. With a snap of his fingers, the lights dim.

“I do. I need your help finding something.”

“Is it going to cost us?”

Seonghwa takes the hit with grace, he thinks. He bows his head, smiling to the ground because he deserves it, after last time.

“You know I can’t give you any details.”

“You never can,” Yeosang pitches in, going next to Hongjoong to lean a hip against the bar.

Wooyoung lets go of Seonghwa to hop up on its other side, the two of them framing Hongjoong. “Why can’t San help you?”

“What do you need?” Hongjoong doesn’t let Seonghwa answer Wooyoung’s question. Great, because Seonghwa doesn’t think he could’ve explained that San… _can’t._ Or at least, he won’t.

If they don’t know already.

“I need to know where the royal book collection was moved to.”

“That’s a huge thing to ask, Seonghwa,” Hongjoong raises an eyebrow.

“Please. I need… I _really_ need it.”

“Are you going to steal from us to bring back to your world again?” Wooyoung’s voice cuts through the air, turning it frigid in the blink of an eye. Seonghwa feels goosebumps rise up his arms.

Seonghwa pauses, just a second too long.

“Hmph. Knew it.”

He doesn’t want to lie to them again.

“Once more. And then I’ll leave you alone for good, I promise.”

Silence falls over the room at his admission, Wooyoung and Yeosang with their arms crossed over their chests, and Hongjoong polishing his last glass.

“Past the royal gardens, in the back of the forest, there is a path. It leads to an ancient mansion,” Hongjoong starts, not sparing Seonghwa a glance. “If you follow the northwest, you should be able to cross through the forest without going by the lit path and reach it after a couple kilometers. You should enter through the back.”

“Thank you, I’m…”

“It hasn’t been moved yet. They waited to move it tomorrow," he adds, leaving just a second. "Don’t be a stranger, Seonghwa,” and he finishes, moving past the curtain into the back. Seonghwa bows his exit in silence under the clear disapproving glances of Yeosang and Wooyoung before stepping out.

It’s almost dark now. Almost there, an interlude between day and night that seems to stop time, giving it just _that_ ethereal quality. A shiver down his spine, heightened senses, a heavier feeling of the air around him increasing, higher and higher, fuller and fuller, more and more…

Seonghwa touches his left wrist. A flash of something blinds him for a second, and when he opens his eyes…

“You shouldn’t have come tonight.”

“I had to,” Seonghwa responds, instinctively reaching out to tangle his fingers with San’s. The ink reacts when his mountain touches the planet on San’s own wrist, blaring embers through him. “You’ll protect me, right? Make sure I don’t get intoxicated?”

“I… I don’t know if I can, I—”

“I’m not worried,” Seonghwa smiles, taking in the slightly frantic expression on San’s face. He sends a flare of energy through the ink, watching as San shivers for just a second, lifting his eyes to his. Finally. “Seriously. It’s okay.”

San takes a deep breath, seemingly calming down. Seonghwa gives him time for a couple more before he pulls him into the dark alleyway between two shops. “What do you need to do?”

“I need to find a book. From the royal collection. It’s urgent.”

“Why tonight?”

“It really is urgent. And they’ll move it after tonight, so I need the business around the palace to be able to sneak in. It’ll be busy because of all the humans coming in for the festivities, so they won’t notice me. They'll up their guard numbers, but we should be able to make it.” His thumb caresses San’s, his free hand reaching up to cup his cheek. “Will you help me? Please?”

San leans into his hand, quickly looking both ways towards the lit streets before he presses a quick kiss to Seonghwa’s lips. Like always, he tastes sweeter than anything Seonghwa has ever experienced, but the kiss ends too quickly. He leans in, for just one more, longer this time. San’s pillowy, full lips under his feel like heaven, and their disappearance is the pure agony of being ripped from Eden.

Perhaps his soul has missed its bond too much recently, judging by the frantic feeling in his chest and the dramatic metaphors. He chuckles on San’s lips, caressing his cheek as he pulls away just a centimeter.

“What?”

“Nothing. I just missed you.”

“I missed you too. I thought I’d have to go out and look for you.”

“You know I’ll always come back for you. You don’t need to worry.”

San pauses, but not for long. “I know.” He touches the tattoo on Seonghwa’s chest, bleeding it with energy even through his shirt. Seonghwa feels the flare under his skin, the reinvigorating feeling of good fairy magic flooding through his body. “Be careful tonight, okay? It’s going to be easier for it to get to you. I don’t know how much I’ll be able to protect you.”

“Will do. I’ll be careful, and protect you too, okay?”

San chuckles then, a wistful laugh that catches Seonghwa’s ears. “How do you want to go to a party wearing this? We’ll go by my place first,” San pulls away, grabbing Seonghwa’s wrist in his. The constant pulsing fire from the first second he touched San has now dulled to pleasant heat, his soul finally soothed after weeks of missing his soulmate.

Hours later, in a white suit adorned with intricate gold lacing (aided by a little magic on San’s part to fit well to his body), Seonghwa walks towards the side entrance of the busy palace, its front lawn already brimming with people. Some are wearing dresses clearly weaved through with magic, some suits and outfits that clearly fit his world's fashion sense. But like this, unless their clothes give it away, it is hard for Seonghwa to tell who is human and who isn’t without really focusing on the smaller details of their aura. He doesn’t have enough magic flowing through him—he didn’t let San give him more to protect him, but it doesn’t make it easy, especially without San at his side.

He doesn’t need to make it far; just to the bar, far enough for San to join him discreetly.

He orders a drink, a fancy cocktail that he knows San likes; he won’t touch it anyway. The bartender hands it to him with two small straws, and Seonghwa takes the cold glass in his hand, sitting in a corner.

And waits. And waits. And waits—

Until San walks into the room.

No matter how many times Seonghwa sees him, he doesn’t think the butterflies in his stomach will ever stop fluttering their wings at the sight. His black leather and chains outfit clashes entirely with Seonghwa’s white suit and white shirt, now with two buttons unbuttoned.

He looks stunning. Seonghwa watches as people in the room turn their eyes to him, and a flare of jealousy burns in his chest.

God, he wishes he could kiss him in front of all these people, show everyone that San is his, and his only. His hand reaches to his tattoo, unconsciously, and he feels San’s eyes snap to him. And they turn. All of a sudden, he looks like the perfect predator, smoothly eyeing his prey.

Seonghwa knows it’s all fake, that it’s an act so people don’t realize who they are, that they’ll think San is just here to make a catch, like all other fairies in here tonight, but…

That doesn’t mean heat doesn’t pool in Seonghwa’s gut as San’s dark, lidded eyes carefully look him up and down from across the room.

 _Fuck,_ he bites his bottom lip. He really wants to kiss San so bad right now, and it doesn’t help that San’s strolling to his table like he already owns him.

Which he does.

Seonghwa closes his eyes for a couple of seconds, collecting himself. It’s just an act. He has work to do.

But San doesn’t help by how he sits down, smirk painted to the corner of his lips. He’s a little fiend.

“Did you come here by yourself?”

“You’re going to have to do better than that,” Seonghwa teases, quietly, looking around to see that most people are far enough for their conversation to go unheard over the loud music.

“You look so hot,” San half-whispers closer to Seonghwa’s ear, and Seonghwa feels a finger discreetly drag over his thigh. Gosh, is San putting up an act today.

“Focus,” Seonghwa berates him. He needs San to focus, otherwise… otherwise...

“Okay, okay,” San’s eyes let up, just a little, and Seonghwa gathers back his thoughts. “What do you need?”

“So yeah, we need to sneak into the library and find a book,” Seonghwa discreetly pushes the cocktail to San, who takes the straw into his mouth way more obscenely than he needs to, sucking in his cheeks. Seonghwa closes his eyes for another second. _Focus, Seonghwa, focus._ “I need you to find your way there first, because it might not be in the library. I think it might be in the archivals, and if it is, I need to find a way to sneak in.”

“What’s the book about?” San throws, and Seonghwa pauses.

“I… don’t really know. I think it’s about a magic spell. I just know I need to find it,” he carefully explains, watching as San’s eyebrows furrow.

“If it’s in the library, then the King’s office…”

“He won’t be there, will he?” Seonghwa tilts his head to the room that’s quickly filling up, the crowd gathering at the bar. “He’ll be around the party.”

Of course he will, to watch as humans slowly lose their minds under the influence of whatever they’re drinking and eating. As the party gets more and more intense as the night goes by, as people start doing things they shouldn’t…

Seonghwa hopes he’ll be able to leave by then, because he’s not sure he’ll be able to resist that, even with all his tattoo and San’s fairy magic and all of that.

“What is it called?”

Seonghwa pauses, pulling a paper from his pocket. “It’s not called anything. It’s this black book with green vine-like designs running over the covers. It’s… just a collection of ancient spells, I think.” He sneaks the paper to San under the table, showing him a sketch of the intricate covers. It looks, by all means, like something Seonghwa will have a hard time finding.

“Okay. I can… I can go,” San swallows. Seonghwa takes in his uncertain gaze, the way he almost looks… scared. That’s a new look on San.

“Follow me,” Seonghwa prods him, and gets up from the table. The look he throws back to San is a _come hither_ look to anyone else, perhaps, but…

Seonghwa leaves the room with the bar, stepping out into the garden. He knows from his previous times being here that if he takes a back exit and goes to the right, he’ll head into a sequestered hallway on the inside of the house.

He knows San is following him. To everyone else, he’s sure it looks like San has caught his prey, and Seonghwa is being wooed by the promise of a night with a fairy, thinking he has the control and being sorely mistaken. He almost chuckles under his breath.

Heading back into the house, he finds the mostly dark hallway he remembered, and waits to hear San’s steps following. When he comes close enough, he grabs San by the wrist into a darker corner, looking into his eyes.

“Are you okay?”

San’s eyes widen. “Yeah. I’m just… this is still scary.”

The corner of Seonghwa’s mouth drops. “I’m sorry to drag you into this over and over again.” He feels guilty; Seonghwa always jumps in, and then just assumes that San will be willing to help.

“No, you’re fine,” San fiddles with Seonghwa’s shirt, looking down at his chest. “When I chose to bond with a traveler, I knew stuff like this would come up. It’s just… it’s okay to be scared, right?”

Seonghwa lays his forehead on San’s, putting his hands on his biceps. “I’m always scared shitless.”

“So it doesn’t get easier?”

“Never,” Seonghwa chuckles. “But I guess it’s important, right?”

His work. Their work. Important for keeping some sort of balance, whether it benefits one side or the other at any given time.

Nobody told Seonghwa to form a bond with his partner from the other side, but… well, that’s that. He wouldn’t trade San for anything in the world.

Their lips meet in a soft kiss. San’s hands reach to hold Seonghwa’s jaw in his hands, fluttering over them. It almost tastes wistful, the last kiss before they head into something they have no way of knowing how it will turn out.

He loves San. He loves him so much, and as they kiss, as one of San’s hands softly touches the tattoo on his chest, bleeding strength into him, Seonghwa wraps his arms around him, wanting to keep him close forever.

If he could. Closer, closer, as close as he can…

It’s with supernatural energy that he pulls away to look into San’s eyes, pressing a last soft peck to his lips. If he could, he’d just follow San home, take him to bed, and show him just how much Seonghwa loves him, just...

But he can’t. He can’t. He has a mission. They have a mission.

“You go first, okay?” Seonghwa whispers to San, watching him shakily nod. “I’ll stay back and observe. Just send one sign if you find it, and two if something’s wrong, okay? It’ll be okay.”

And he watches San go. Letting him leave is like a stab to his chest, but he has to let go. Seonghwa returns to the garden instead, heads to the part overlooking the library wing, so he can be close just in case. The garden is mostly full now, the chatter of people and loud music animating the mood.

Seonghwa checks his watch: 7:31 PM. The night has barely started.

He passes time watching people around him, sneaking glances at the windows heading to the library every few seconds. But nothing yet; no sign on his wrist.

Nothing after an hour. Nothing after an hour and a half. A woman comes to Seonghwa, so clearly a fairy, and Seonghwa has a hard time dismissing her. There’s a tug in his chest that’s unexpectedly difficult to hold back; he tells himself it’s the magic of the land, harder to resist tonight.

But it seems like he’s not the only one having trouble. As the music gets louder, and the chatter almost seems to drown it, he checks his watch again. 8:42 PM. It’s just the beginning of the night, but Seonghwa sees hands tight around wrists, heads close together everywhere he looks.

It’s so early. It’s way too early.

9:00 PM, his watch announces. San’s been gone for more than an hour. An hour and a half, and Seonghwa… despite knowing that San is more than capable of fighting anyone, and he’d announce Seonghwa if something went wrong…

Despite all of that, Seonghwa feels a chaos in his chest, a gaping black hole that tells him something is going terribly, awfully wrong.

 _It’s just anxiety,_ he tells himself. It’s an important book—his supervisor told him not to even think of coming without it, and he has to…

He has to…

His head checks out for a second. Seonghwa shakes it, trying to get back to himself.

“Well, it’s been a while since I’ve seen someone this handsome around these parts.”

Seonghwa whips his head to the voice from his back, who steps out in front of him.

He knows who this is. The Prince. Jongho.

 _Fuck._ Him, Seonghwa doesn’t think he can escape if it comes down to power.

He immediately reaches to his wrist, discreetly tapping twice to San. _Come over. Right now._ But he receives nothing in return. Blank.

The prince tilts his head to him, expecting. Seonghwa swallows, suddenly speechless. “Thank you for your compliment. I appreciate it, but unfortunately…”

“Don’t worry, I can tell there’s magic inside of you,” the prince furrows his eyebrows. “Doesn’t seem like malevolent magic though. Seems like it was given willingly. How did you get it, huh?”

Seonghwa swallows again, his mouth dry. How is he going to get out of this? Fairies bonding with humans instead of each other isn’t exactly illegal, but it’s also not… common. It’s uncommon enough that the prince will surely have questions for San.

He knew it was too risky, to show up tonight and walk right in, not around like he usually does, and think he wouldn’t catch anyone’s eyes. He just didn’t expect to catch the Prince’s.

“You’re not going to respond?”

“I apologize,” Seonghwa tilts his head. “I didn’t mean to be rude. I just have a friend around this part who was kind enough to brew a potion for me.”

“So you’re not here to enjoy the night’s proceedings?”

Fuck. Seonghwa is just digging himself into a deeper hole.

“I am. However…” Well, maybe it’s time to bring out the kinks and fetishes. “I’m more interested in… running the game myself.”

The prince’s eyebrows shoot up to the sky, a surprised expression playing on his face.

“Humans have gotten more interesting these days, haven’t they? Hmm. I hope you enjoy yourself then…”

“Seonghwa.”

“...Seonghwa-ssi. If you see me around at the end of the night, please check in and tell me how your night went.”

The prince’s hand briefly pats his shoulder. Seonghwa feels the powerful energy he attempts to travel through him, but Seonghwa doesn’t move. Even as his chest _burns._

Then the hand disappears. Seonghwa exhales a sigh of relief, for the millisecond before the knowledge settles back in, that San _is not responding to him._

Seonghwa pats his wrist again, sending a powerful wave of energy, putting his intention into it, trying to garner all of San’s magic to help him reach him.

Nothing.

The hole in Seonghwa’s chest widens and widens, until it’s taken over all of him. What if the prince was a distraction? What if they know who San is and who he is, and they’ll…

He immediately dashes from the cocktail table he was resting against, trying his best not to run to the side entrance of the house. Fuck being discreet. He needs to find San.

Pulling out his phone, he opens the app and shoots a quick text to Yunho. _I think something’s wrong._

It takes a few seconds for the message to show up as delivered, pass the barriers between their lands. He immediately gets a response.

_**I know. We’re trying to figure it out. Stand by.** _

Seonghwa’s heart immediately drops. So he was right. Something is off, and it’s not him. He chalked the difficulty of resisting up to the energy of the night, but he enters the house and sees…

It’s not just the humans. It’s _everyone._

It’s too early to tell, maybe, but after so many years, Seonghwa knows the hazy look in humans’ eyes when they step in and take the drinks and food that’s being offered to them. Sees the loosening of their limbs, how they slightly lean on the fairies, and occasionally other types of supernaturals, who have an arm around their waist, over their shoulders.

This is just the beginning, but Seonghwa can see it in the fairies’ eyes as well. They’re affected too. Something is happening.

He needs to find San. And now. He passes the entrance hallway, occasionally elbows someone in his haste to get to the back stairs, where he won’t be seen heading upstairs. Quickly, he sneaks a look to the guards: they look as affected as everyone else.

So it’s not only the drinks, it’s the entire magic around the palace. But they’re awake enough to stop something from happening; Seonghwa has to be careful.

Just for the sake of it, he taps his tattoo twice again, sending some more fairy energy, expecting the nothingness that follows. 

_Fuck._ Something happened to San, Seonghwa is now sure. Passing the hallway in the back of the house, he rushes into a mostly dark hallway under the eyes of some fairies who do nothing to stop him. He knows that in this hallway, somewhere, there is a service stairway. He remembers from previous years, that there’s a door, an inconspicuous, dark brown wooden door, and—

He finds it. The door opens quietly, shutting behind him with a small noise. If he remembers correctly, he can head to the third floor, and he’ll get to the office. And from there, he can head to the library…

And then he can find San and get out of here.

His steps make little noise as he heads up the stairs and to the king’s office. He needs to be out of his office, Seonghwa hopes. Otherwise, he’s going to do whatever it takes.

Palming the gun hidden under his jacket, he carefully opens the door of the stairway. When he steps out into the hallway, silence greets him. The muffled music from downstairs barely reaches up here, so Seonghwa shuts it behind him even more carefully.

In this wing, even the dark hallways are decorated. On the dark green background, wherever he looks, are pieces of modern art Seonghwa cannot even begin to understand. It is a mix of antique and modern, so carefully done and arranged that the taste of the owner is clearly denoted. The new King is known for his love of art.

From the rumors Seonghwa heard… many types of it. Dead or alive, to put it plainly.

The air is not any less heavy up here, still stifling, still pressing down on Seonghwa in a way he’s never experienced before. He plays around with the feeling of San’s magic in him, which still helps give him a clearer head, but whatever’s happening… it’s strange.

Before he knows, he reaches the door of the King’s office, just like the time he’s been here before. Except then he knew the King wouldn’t be in there.

Now, he has no clue.

Seonghwa carefully puts his ear to the door, trying to see if there is any noise. None. Carefully, he lowers himself to the ground, to check the minuscule gap between the door and the bottom. No light. Nobody inside.

The door is expectedly locked when Seonghwa attempts to push it open. Thankfully, it has an old-type lock and not a keypad, so he pulls out his lockpicking kit and wiggles the two bars inside until he hears what he wants.

A click. The door opens, and Seonghwa steps inside.

More than likely he will be seen on the CCTVs, but there’s no time to wait.

Map of the palace laid out in his mind, he steps to the right of the room, the faint light from the outside the only thing illuminating his path. But he knows the library is to the right. He finds the door in question and pushes the handle open.

It gives, and Seonghwa finds himself in another dark room. Thankfully, the library has a window; Seonghwa can see that there seems to be nobody in here.

Except if…

Seonghwa braves himself.

“...San?” he whispers in a low tone, just enough to make his voice heard over the barely audible music.

Nothing.

“San?” he tries again, a little louder.

Nothing again.

Seonghwa fully panics, now sure that San has either been taken, or something bad has happened to him. He runs out of the library, heading into the lighter room of the King’s office to compose himself.

His phone vibrates in his pocket. When he takes it out and turns it on, the faithful words appear on his screen.

_**Something strange is going on in Nagwon. Someone has altered the magic to do something to the fairies.** _

**_Apparently, you gotta find that book._ **

**_It's the boss' orders._ **

Seonghwa stares at the texts, and knows something’s off. Something… something he can’t quite place his finger on. He feels like the main character in a game, his story and yet played by someone else. A pawn in a chess game.

They knew. It seems to Seonghwa right then that he was sent here for a purpose. But he won’t ask the reason why they kept it a secret. Or at least, not now.

First, he has to find San.

Heading back down to the main party, he sees the situation quickly worsened. Humans and fairies both are draped over tables, barely keeping their heads up. It’s barely 9:30, and where the evening would just now begin to really take off, and things would start… happening, the chatter has almost completely died down.

Everybody looks intoxicated, and nobody even spares Seonghwa a glance as he hurriedly passes by the cocktail tables set up in the garden. The magic is starting to get to him too but he fights it, imagines San’s magic spreading through him, and pushes through.

He searches through the entirety of the house, it seems, from corner to corner, watching as slowly fairies around are no longer able to keep their heads up, and humans start falling asleep. Seonghwa’s own eyes become tired, almost too tired to keep open, but the few strands of magic running through him help him go on until he reaches the last possible place.

The archives. Set in the basement of the building, they are usually protected by guards, because they are the place where the King usually conducts his _experiments._ But now, the guards at the door are passed out on the floor, and the handle gives when Seonghwa pushes it down.

San has to be here; Seonghwa hopes he is at least the littlest bit awake, so they can try to get out of the palace and at least make it to the safety of San's house. Searching the floor between the shelves, seemingly in a room with books or potions, barely able to keep his head up, Seonghwa hears a noise from somewhere in the room, and his ears perk up. Following it, he passes the shelves into a more open space of the dimly-lit room…

And lays eyes on black leather and chains. _San._ With the last of his energy, he whips his head up to catch San’s eyes.

They’re clear.

Seonghwa feels his eyelids drop, and his eyebrows furrow as his body gives out. “No... Wait, San...”

The last thing he feels are two hands keeping him from crashing. “I’m sorry, I’m really really s—”

Seonghwa wakes up to San right in front of him. He startles instinctually, but quickly finds out he can’t move.

San pulls away from him, and Seonghwa sees a water bottle in his hands, before he looks up at his face.

His eyes are bloodshot and his nose is red—Seonghwa realizes right away he’s been crying. And then he also realizes that he’s tied to a chair, but he can’t move at all, not even a millimeter.

It’s magic. Something that Seonghwa will never be able to break out of.

“San…”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to do this, but I didn’t know how you’d react, and—” he frantically starts.

“San. San, it’s okay,” Seonghwa tries to calm him down, see if there’s anything fake in his expression. Nothing. There’s nothing. San’s always been a terrible liar, especially with Seonghwa, and Seonghwa thinks San's panic is genuine. “It’s okay. Just… what’s going on?”

“I…” A million and one expressions flit across San’s face. Panic, hurt, confusion, sadness, despair… Seonghwa tugs at the bonds at his wrist instinctually, wanting to reach out and hug him. But he can’t. “I don’t know… if I can tell you.”

“San-ah. Whatever it is, it’s me. I know you. I know there’s a reason. Just… talk to me, okay?”

Seonghwa sees the hesitation in San’s eyes, but he waits. And waits. And waits, giving himself time for his quick heartbeat to slow, calm down enough so he can get a grip on the situation.

“Don’t know where to start,” he whispers under his breath.

“Was this you? All of this?” Seonghwa tilts his head to the outside. He sees now they’re in San’s house. In his living room.

“...yes.”

“Why?”

“So I could escape.”

Seonghwa’s eyes widen. “Escape? To where?”

San looks up into his eyes from down at the floor. “To your world.”

“You…” Seonghwa starts. “But you can't come into my world?”

“I can,” San nods, an almost wistful expression on his face. “I’ve… there’s something I haven’t told you.”

Seonghwa’s heart starts beating faster again, thrumming heavy beats in his chest with the sheer fear those words instill.

“I’m half-human," San whispers.

With the three words, Seonghwa's jaw drops. "I thought... fairies and humans couldn't procreate?” That goes against everything he's ever learned about the other world and its residents. They are never supposed to come together, in fear of the tragic consequences that would happen if they did. 

“They can, in some cases. My mom did,” San's voice turns into anguish. Like every time he talks about his mom. Seonghwa almost wants to beg, tell San to let go of his bonds so he can hug him, but he knows San can’t trust him right now.

“That’s why you said you’ll never be able to know who your dad is?” he asks instead, trying to keep calm and show San that it doesn't matter to him in the slightest. Whatever he is, Seonghwa loves him nonetheless.

San nods his head. “My mom never told anyone. He was, I mean I _think_ he was a traveller, just like you, but I know nothing else. Just that he was human.”

“So you can… you can travel into the human world?” Seonghwa asks, almost to confirm, his voice trembling. That means...

“I can, but I guess I actually can’t. I’m not allowed to.”

“By who?” Furrowed brows, Seonghwa’s tone turns sharp. He thinks he’s starting to understand.

“By the King.”

So he was right.

“So that’s why you wanted to escape? Is he holding you here?”

San’s lip trembles as he looks up, tear-filled eyes staring right into Seonghwa's. Seonghwa feels his own well up with tears, a knot in his throat burying any words of comfort he might've said. San's mouth opens, and when he speaks, his whispered words break. “I just wanted to be with you.”

“San…”

“I mean, I still want that. I knew it’s impossible, and foolish, and stupid because we were not supposed to be together in the first place, and that I had to stay here because the King would never let me go, and if I step into the other world, I’ll have a target on my back forever, but… I needed to try. Whatever happened. I just wanted to try,” San’s voice breaks on the last words, and Seonghwa feels a tear slide down his own cheek.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he whispers in return, and when San looks up, his eyes widen, probably seeing Seonghwa's tears.

“I couldn’t.”

“Why not? I would’ve helped you. I would’ve done everything I could, my organization can help you—”

San snorts suddenly, wiping the tears from his eyes, sniffling with a humorless chuckle. “Your organization is also the problem.”

“What do you mean?” Seonghwa asks, confused, before he remembers what San said just seconds before.

_I’ll have a target on my back for the rest of forever._

“Do they know?” he asks, and when San nods, Seonghwa suddenly understands.

The book of spells. Yunho not knowing what really happened, but finding out later. The mystery, the secrecy… They knew only Seonghwa could stop San.

“What do they want?” Seonghwa asks, sharp, his voice betraying the fear he feels inside.

“They want me. They want to do research on me. On my magic. The King knows they know, and wanted to make sure I never fell in their hands.”

“So then… wouldn’t it be good for them if you went into the other world? Why am I here to stop this? Why was I told to stop this?”

“Because if I come into the other world, I wouldn’t come as I am,” San says, looking right up at him again. In his eyes, Seonghwa sees unbounded depths of sadness. How did he never know this? How was he blind to all of this? Even bonded with San’s soul, how was he never able to _see?_

“What do you mean?”

“To actually live in the other world, I have to lose my magic. There is… this place. These people who can do that.”

“Lose your magic? San, that’s…”

It hits Seonghwa right then, that San wanted to do it for him. For them. He would’ve lost that part of himself, his entire world if he could be with Seonghwa.

Seonghwa’s voice trembles as well when he speaks the words he wants to know most again. _“Why didn’t you tell me?”_

“I didn’t want to make you choose,” San admits, low and pained. “You’d have to betray them. I didn’t want to put you through that. I thought I’d just come over, do it, and then… come and find you. If you wanted me, I’d be able to be with you.

“If you didn’t, then I’d be okay with that too. But I—I just needed to _try.”_

Seonghwa’s heart breaks. Shatters in many, many pieces. “San… please untie me.”

“I…” San’s eyes widen. “Hyung—”

“Please untie me. Please,” Seonghwa whispers, hoping his eyes tell San all that he himself can’t at this moment.

He reads the emotions flitting through San’s eyes, in the space of his furrowed brows and narrowed eyes, tears drying down his cheeks. Piles of confusion, and sadness, and fear… But Seonghwa hopes that the love he’s trying to send to San through their bond will come above all of those.

And then the pressure lifts off his wrists, and the rope audibly falls to the ground.

Seonghwa launches himself to San, gathering him in his arms as they fall to their knees. San’s hands come to tightly fist the back of Seonghwa’s jacket as Seonghwa wraps himself around San, burying his face in his hair. His tears fall into San’s hair, and he feels San’s wetting his own neck.

How could he? How could he think that Seonghwa would ever not want him?

“How could you think you weren’t always my choice? It’s not even a choice, San-ah. It’s not even a choice,” Seonghwa whispers in San’s hair, wrapping his arms around as much as he can, holding San as tight as he can. “It’s you and then everything else.”

“Betraying them means risking your life, I couldn’t ask you—” San’s voice is muffled in Seonghwa’s neck, and Seonghwa only holds him tighter.

“I don’t care. We’ll figure it out. I’d go to the ends of the earth for you,” Seonghwa hopes his voice conveys just how determined he is. When it comes to San, he’d do _anything_ —he’d move mountains, fight the sky if he needed to. “How could you think I wouldn’t want you, San-ah?”

“I just... couldn’t do that to you.”

Maybe Seonghwa gets it. He would’ve done the same if it was San. That’s what love is, he guesses.

But he also knows love can be something else. It can be them pulling away to look into each other’s eyes with the understanding that now, it’s a fight they fight together. The salty taste over the one he’s so familiar with when San presses his lips to Seonghwa’s, so many emotions in one simple kiss. The way his tattoo burns a comforting heat under his skin. The way that in his head, there are the same words playing over and over.

He loves San. He loves him _so much,_ and he wants to love him for the rest of forever. Pulling away, he looks into San's eyes until he sees him melt, and a barely-there hint of a smile, but one nonetheless, brushes his lips.

“What can we do now?”

“We just have to leave,” San nods. “They’re waiting for me, the people from your world. If I can get there, the procedure will probably work.”

“Probably?” Seonghwa’s eyes widen.

“I mean, it’s not like they had many people to test it on. One of them is a traveler too, so he did it for some people from this land before taking them into your world and it worked. So, I think it will work for me too,” San pauses. “Especially… if you’re there.”

“Why?” Seonghwa whispers.

San smiles, the first real one Seonghwa’s seen on him in a really long time, he realizes.

“We’re bonded. If my soul gets lost in the process… there is only one that can guide it back.”

Passing the quiet streets, his hand in San’s, Seonghwa looks around. It should’ve been the biggest night of the year, streets filled with music and dancing and drinking, progressing into more. But Seonghwa looks around to see bodies everywhere on the ground, peacefully asleep.

“How did you do this?” Seonghwa whispers to San, low, like any word too loud will awaken the people around him. “Did you do it alone?”

“No. I had help,” San answers, just a little bit louder. “The Prince, Jongho. We’ve been friends since we were kids, and he didn’t agree with his father. He helped me get access to the library, find the book, do the spell, even used his messengers to find me the traveler who could help me. His condition was that no one gets hurt.”

Seonghwa thinks of earlier tonight—how Prince Jongho almost knew right away who Seonghwa was, talking to him like he was checking on him.

“He wanted to meet you, actually.”

“I did. Meet him,” Seonghwa explains. “Before I found you, he came to me. I found it strange, but I guess it makes sense now.”

Seonghwa looks around again, at the bodies laid out on the pavements and streets, laying in front of shops. San must’ve been loved by this world, if the Prince was willing to do this to his people. Even if just for one night. Seonghwa squeezes San’s hand tighter.

They reach the portal Seonghwa entered through just hours ago, and which feels more like years. The archway of greenery and flowers welcomes them as they step under it, and San stops.

Seonghwa turns to him. San’s expression is wistful as he touches the flowers blooming wider under the touch of their creator. As he waves his hand, they open as to greet him, and the lights hanging on the archway turn brighter.

His magic.

With it, San will never be free. Without it, he’ll never be himself. A lose-lose situation, and the tiebreaker… was Seonghwa.

When San turns back to him, Seonghwa takes his face between his hands, pressing a long kiss to his lips. One that he hopes says it all—that Seonghwa is here for him, and will be forever. No matter what.

San puts his arms around his neck, arching up into him. Seonghwa opens up to him, to San, letting him explore whatever he needs.

When he pulls away and San’s hand ends up in his again, he places his hand on the door and it opens.

“Ready?”

“Ready,” Seonghwa hears San tell Mingi, the traveler who claims he can help San lose his magic. Just a minute ago, his shirt was in Seonghwa’s fist as he detailed the long and gruesome events that would happen if this fails. He looked necessarily terrified. A good job, Seonghwa thinks.

Because looking into San’s eyes before he goes under, hand tightly clasped into his, he doesn’t know what he’d do without him.

But despite the fear, he knows, deep in his heart, that San will come back to him. And when he does, they’ll head out hand in hand, and brave whatever the world has to offer.

Together.


End file.
